Consumers to 'feel the pinch' as inflation climbs 1.8% in January

Sterling fell almost 0.5% after it was revealed the UK Core Price Index (CPI) hit 1.8% in January, according to the Office for National Statistics, as rising fuel and food prices hit the consumer. The pound was down 0.49% against the US dollar to $1.2640 following the announcement, while the FTSE 100 was flat at 7,282.5 points. January's inflation figure was a move higher from the 1.6% reached in December 2016, and the highest rate since June 2014 when CPI reached 1.9% and then began to fall back towards zero. In a briefing note, the ONS said: "The strong downward pull on inflation...